Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Arizona State Rep. Jonathan Paton: A Credible National Leader for America

Operation Yellow Elephant salutes Arizona State Rep Jonathan L. Paton (R, District 30), age 35, a First Lieutenant and intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, who volunteered to serve in Iraq even though he faces a Primary Election September 12, five days after he reports to Fort Benning, GA, for training and deployment.

Mr. Paton said he did not want his status as an elected official to excuse him from combat, something instructors in a training program he attended last year suggested would happen. He decided that his full-throated support of the war would seem contradictory if he was not willing to serve."I had to put my money where my mouth is," said Mr. Paton, who first asked to go last year, after a stateside active-duty deployment, and received word in late July that he would.

Operation Yellow Elephant salutes Rep. Paton as an excellent example of credible national leadership. We join his constituents in wishing him all the best for his deployment and for his safe return home.

8 Comments:

You are correct that he's not a grunt, and isn't in harm's way in the same way that the infantry are.

That said, at least he is wearing the uniform and volunteering to go, which is so unusual he made the New York Times.

You rightly point out that it is the infantry that are in the most danger. We welcome nominations of other credible leaders of our governing party, both present and future, who have the courage of their convictions.

I for one salute this man, as a liberal dem, vet it is pleasing to see a man stand up for what he believes. I wish him well and a safe return home, and his soldiers.As a former NCO, I could fight this with this man.

I don't think his assignment really matters. Many MI officers find themselves in harm's way gathering intel in the field. The nature of this war is such that anyone in theater is a target. Remember when Rush called Paul Hackett a "staff weenie"? Don't do that to this guy, he is obviously a man of integrity.